Wall outlets for fiber optic connector assemblies are known. For example, Glover et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,887, assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference, discloses and claims a fiber optic connector assembly and a wall outlet into which it connects. This interconnect system is designed to be easily assembled and for accurately aligning the terminated ends of fiber optic transmission members for optimum operation.
Further, Briggs et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,317, filed Aug. 18, 1989, teaches another fiber optic wall outlet having an annular flange for mounting to a wall, and a hood mounted in the flange. The wall outlet further includes a spring member which urges the hood to snap outward, and fingers which engage against the annular flange and prevent the hood from snapping outward. An interconnect assembly, to which a first optical fiber cable is connected, is mounted in the wall outlet. When the hood snaps outward, access is provided to the interconnect assembly so that a plug connected to a second optical fiber cable, such as a FSD plug and cable, can be plugged into the interconnect assembly.
Other types of connectors beside the FSD type connectors are known. Particularly useful and advantageous are the push-on lock type, also known as push-pull coupling type, which are particularly useful because of their versatility and ease of use. For example, Umeki, et al, Japanese Showa 60-218932 discloses a push-pull coupling type. It includes an adapter equipped with an alignment sleeve and resilient catch pieces. The pieces are in cantilever form with protrusions and a claw attached to the tip of the form. The connector also includes a frame that contains an integrated ferrule and a through passageway from the rear to the front of the ferrule. The frame has protruding parts that are caught by claws of the resilient catch pieces of the adapter. A resilient inner tube shaped in the form of a round tube has an inside diameter almost equal to the outside diameter of the optical fiber cable and an outside diameter almost equal to the hole in the rear portion of the plug frame. A cord tube has a flexible part at its front end which, when inserted into the hole in the rear of the plug frame, is secured to the frame by the bending of the flexible part. The plug frame also has a finger grip mounted on its outside with raised parts. When the ferrule of the plug frame is inserted into or pulled from the alignment sleeve, the raised parts of the plug frame contact the protrusions of the cantilever form and push the resilient claws to the outside allowing the protrusions to pass. The plug frame may have a finger grip housing which is able to slide forward and backward with respect to the plug frame and, additionally, which has raised parts which release the catch of claws on the protruding parts of the plug frame when the finger grip housing is moved backward.
Iwasa, et al, Japanese Showa 62-26141, relates to a duplex type of connector in which a permanent housing provides two alignment sleeves and two ferrules to permanently encompass two optical fibers of the push-pull coupling type of connector. Similarly, Myers, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,736, relates to a duplex connector encompassed within a release cover to provide a plug of the push-pull coupling type.
Kaihara, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,389, discloses both a simplex pin-type of plug and a duplex pin plug that includes a cooperative pair of plug holders accommodated within a single housing. This second embodiment, comprising the plugs encompassed within a singular permanent housing, is advantageous in that it permits simultaneous connect and disconnect of the fiber plugs from the pair of other optical fibers or optical components such as a light emitting and light detecting element.
Gerace et al U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/159,151, now abandoned published EPC Specification No. 0330399, Aug. 30, 1989, relates to a sheath connector for an optical fiber. This connector may be adapted to a push-pull type connector by a plug housing in two sections with biasing surface and slot for mating with resilient catch pieces of an adapter, as indicated by Mulholland et al, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 491,755.
Advantageous would be a means of converting a wall outlet, designed to accommodate the popularly used FSD connectors, to an assembly which would provide interconnect capabilities with the push-pull coupling type of connectors. The present invention relates to an insert and to an interconnect assembly for achieving just such object. The present invention particularly relates to an interconnect assembly for a push-pull type connector that incorporates the Gerace et al. sheath connector as disclosed by Mulholland et al.